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Re: LANGUAGE LAWS

From:Steg Belsky <draqonfayir@...>
Date:Monday, October 26, 1998, 1:01
On Sat, 24 Oct 1998 15:17:06 -0400 Nik Taylor <fortytwo@...> writes:
>David G. Durand wrote: >> Twin languages, while often consigned to the dustbin of lanauge >pathology, >> are also very interesting because they are also "spontaneously >generated" >> linguistic structures. [Twin languages are private langauges >occasionally >> evolved by identical twins (or siblings), especially if they are >isolated >> from wide social contact by parental abuse or handicap.]
>It's my impression that twin languages are almost always created by >identical twins, it's just a matter of how long it lasts. Also, I was >under the impression that those were simply alterations (frequently >phonetic) of their parents' language. I'd have to ask my uncle if he >remembers anything of his. He and my dad (who's deceased) were >identical twins and had just such a twin-language.
As far as me and my identical-twin brother remember, we never had one of these. However, when we were growing up (until about sixth grade) i mumbled very badly, and spoke in a very low voice - the total effect of which was that when i talked, my mouth barely moved, creating long strings of amorphous consonants and vowels which no one could decipher easily - except for my brother. He would "interpret" between me and my parents. But eventually, when we began to really get on eachother's nerves like any siblings who share a room together for their entire lives, he lost the ability (or so he says) to understand my mumblings. I still mumble somewhat and speak in a lower voice than other people, but it's much more comprehensible now. Also, i think for a while i couldn't pronounce /T/ in all positions.....or maybe it was /t/. I think i said it as /s/. For some reason, even though i speak relatively :) normally, i still can't un-mumble the way i recite the qidush on friday night. When i try to enunciate it i just start stumbling over the words, getting the opposite effect of what i was trying to do. -Stephen (Steg) ___________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]